Brown orders review of 24-hour drinking

Sex equality will take generations to achieve at the current “painfully low” rate of progress, watchdog the Equal Opportunities Commission has said in its final report before being merged into the new Commission on Equality and Human Rights.

The EOC said the hourly earnings gap between part-time women and full-time men – currently 38% – would take 25 years to close and the gap in pensions, disadvantaging women, may take 45 years to close.

The CEHR will be responsible for tackling all forms of discrimination and campaigners fear that gender will be downplayed as a result in its work.

Gordon Brown has announced a review of legislation extending licensing hours, citing evidence of increased arrests and public concerns over antisocial behaviour since the legislation was introduced two years ago.

The prospect of a cure for Alzheimer’s disease came a step closer after researchers at the University of St Andrews said they had developed a compound that prevents the condition destroying brain cells and helps to repair damaged memory and learning ability.

A backlash has begun over the Welsh policy of providing free prescriptions and there have been calls to introduce a “nominal” fee per item.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that many patients are asking their GPs for cheap over-the-counter medicines free on prescription. Their requests include prescriptions for paracetamol, which can cost as little as 1p a pill.